Cardiac Anomalies - is something going on or is this normal?

[fmk_RoI]

This one I missed in October: Viviani's Cofidis team-mate Fernando Barceló (25) suffered a tachycardia episode during the fifth stage of the Vuelta (Huesca to Sabiñánigo), his heart hitting 230 bpm. Following his withdrawal from the race surgery to resolve an issue with a vein in his heart was recommended and carried out.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1320063321240981511

View: https://twitter.com/barcelofer/status/1320063321240981511

Much to my regret tomorrow I will not start in @lavuelta According to the team doctor, I have to do some medical tests to rule out any heart problems after suffering a tachycardia today in competition Good luck to the boys of @TeamCOFIDIS in what remains

 

[fmk_RoI]

Add Zdeněk Štybar to the list. Not sure if I've come across this before or if it's just the way the release is worded:

Following his appearance at last week’s Gent-Wevelgem, Zdenek Stybar reported to the Deceuninck – Quick-Step medical team that he was feeling unwell.

After an investigation by our medical team, it was revealed that the rider from the Czech Republic was suffering from a heart rhythm problem, for which it was recommended that he would undergo an ablation procedure. This procedure was successfully carried out by Professor Pedro Brugada, on Wednesday, at a Brussels Hospital.

Zdenek has now been cleared to return to training this weekend but it is felt that this Sunday’s Ronde van Vlaanderen would be too early for him to return to competitive racing, so instead he will take some days off to spend time together with his family.

Edit: Ok, so both Viviani and Ulissi have been treated with an ablation procedure this year. I've been paying attention to how the cardiac conditions have been categorised, not the treatments. Not sure if Steimle - like Štybar, a Deceuninck rider - got the same procedure when he was treated in Brussels last year.

 

[fmk_RoI]

One of the reasons this list of cardiac cases exists is to add perspective whenever one of these cases arises. We have a tendency to remember selectively other cases and that can lead us to thinking there's more of this about than there really is.

But one of the problems with a list like this is the completeness illusion: you see a list, you think it lists all the relevant data. But, in reality, it doesn't. Case in point: Romain Sicard (33, Total Direct Énergie), who has thrown in the towel on his career having first been diagnosed with an undisclosed cardiac condition three years ago and having been off the bike since the beginning of February this year.

TDÉ boss Jean-René Bernaudeau credited the FFC's health checks - introduced around the time of the Festina affaire - in identifying Sicard's condition:

"Today, the health monitoring of our riders is working. The exams are even more extensive than before. This allows them to have guarantees on the practice of their sport. The FFC’s medical check-up revealed a cardiac pathology in Romain that was incompatible with the pursuit of his activity as a professional cyclist."

 

[BlueRoads]

What makes me - a medical layman - wonder is why do they detect these things in riders 30+?
I get that there are many normal people living with certain heart conditions that only get detected in a pro athlete's check-up or when pushed to the limit, but are there that many heart conditions that only evolve with time?

 

[Parker]

What makes me - a medical layman - wonder is why do they detect these things in riders 30+?
I get that there are many normal people living with certain heart conditions that only get detected in a pro athlete's check-up or when pushed to the limit, but are there that many heart conditions that only evolve with time?

Because these things don't happen overnight. They are the result of long term stress to the heart. The same with mental issues in sports where there are players are repeatedly hit on the head. No-one got dementia in their 20s from one whack on the head.

 

[F_Cance]

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/rider-in-emergency-condition-after-volta-a-catalunya-opening-sprint/

 

[Mayomaniac]

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/rider-in-emergency-condition-after-volta-a-catalunya-opening-sprint/

If I have to speculate I'd say that rushing back after having bronchitis to get into shape for the big cobbled classics has probably something to do with it.
Respiratory infections raise heart attack risk by 17 times

 

[SHAD0W93]

If I have to speculate I'd say that rushing back after having bronchitis to get into shape for the big cobbled classics has probably something to do with it.
Respiratory infections raise heart attack risk by 17 times

The infection could have traveled to his heart too, causing the arrhythmia on top of the exertion of riding.

 

[samhocking]

The team/hospital have reported his overnight cardio tests came back all clear, so that could probably rule out both infection and any inherent heart condition causing yesterdays events. Could well just be just random event that happens sometimes in sports. The French sports media already jumping straight to the side effects of Tizanidine found in the teams possession last year because someone read the side-effects of heart failure and seizure. Amazing investigative journalism!

Colbrelli victime d’un produit suspect ? (sports.fr)

 

[Gregga]

he French sports media already jumping straight to the side effects of Tizanidine found in the teams possession last year because someone read the side-effects of heart failure and seizure. Amazing investigative journalism!

Colbrelli victime d’un produit suspect ? (sports.fr)

FYI sports.fr is not "French sports media" just some random clickbait where anyone can write any sh.t

 

[samhocking]

FYI sports.fr is not "French sports media" just some random clickbait where anyone can write any sh.t

Which is what French sports media generally do. Nobody else was e.g. writing thousands of lines and creating TV shows about Varjas and motor doping without any evidence only for their own police to conclude it was all made up by Varjas & LeMond lol!

 

[Mayomaniac]

Which is what French sports media generally do. Nobody else was e.g. writing thousands of lines and creating TV shows about Varjas and motor doping without any evidence only for their own police to conclude it was all made up by Varjas & LeMond lol!

La Gazzetta also jumped down the whole motor doping rabbit hole, so it's not just them. That Varjas guy always screamed conman to me, if he actually had exclusive, big money deals with some teams he'd keep his mouth shut instead of using the media and the whole speculations to promote his motors...

 

[Le breton]

If I have to speculate I'd say that rushing back after having bronchitis to get into shape for the big cobbled classics has probably something to do with it.
Respiratory infections raise heart attack risk by 17 times

It would be nice to have some support for your claim, such as a serious publication.
Did you pull that 17 out of a hat ?
Are you sure it's not 71 ?

 

[Le breton]

The team/hospital have reported his overnight cardio tests came back all clear, so that could probably rule out both infection and any inherent heart condition causing yesterdays events. Could well just be just random event that happens sometimes in sports. The French sports media already jumping straight to the side effects of Tizanidine found in the teams possession last year because someone read the side-effects of heart failure and seizure. Amazing investigative journalism!

Colbrelli victime d’un produit suspect ? (sports.fr)

If you read the whole article, you will see that it is not nearly as outrageous as what you write : "The French sports media already jumping straight to the side effects of Tizanidine found in the teams possession last year because someone read the side-effects of heart failure and seizure."

 

[Mayomaniac]

It would be nice to have some support for your claim, such as a serious publication.
Did you pull that 17 out of a hat ?
Are you sure it's not 71 ?

i dn't know about the exact number, but here you have a study about it.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/imj.13377

 

[SHAD0W93]

The team/hospital have reported his overnight cardio tests came back all clear, so that could probably rule out both infection and any inherent heart condition causing yesterdays events. Could well just be just random event that happens sometimes in sports. The French sports media already jumping straight to the side effects of Tizanidine found in the teams possession last year because someone read the side-effects of heart failure and seizure. Amazing investigative journalism!

Colbrelli victime d’un produit suspect ? (sports.fr)

Sounds like they’re just throwing darts at the wall hoping one sticks.

that’s good they haven’t found any heart conditions which gets rid of the the heart failure theory, which is a chronic condition anyways.

While not the same, I had gotten pericarditis so the heart sack became inflamed and infected. I wasn’t sick before hand and all the results came back negative so the doctors didn’t know why or how I got.

If he actually got defibrillated then his heart was beating too fast from v fib or pulsless v tach. Which if we want to go the clinic route he might have been prescribed a bronchodilator (albuteral/salbutamol, clenbuterol, salmeterol) for the bronchitis to help breathe easier from the inflammation so to open the airway. All of those increase the heart rate and then add in the exercise.

 

[samhocking]

Sounds like they’re just throwing darts at the wall hoping one sticks.

that’s good they haven’t found any heart conditions which gets rid of the the heart failure theory, which is a chronic condition anyways.

While not the same, I had gotten pericarditis so the heart sack became inflamed and infected. I wasn’t sick before hand and all the results came back negative so the doctors didn’t know why or how I got.

If he actually got defibrillated then his heart was beating too fast from v fib or pulsless v tach. Which if we want to go the clinic route he might have been prescribed a bronchodilator (albuteral/salbutamol, clenbuterol, salmeterol) for the bronchitis to help breathe easier from the inflammation so to open the airway. All of those increase the heart rate and then add in the exercise.

The Dr first at the scene treating him said he had seizures 100m after crossing the line, lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest. He also made the statement that if this happens again without paramedics close to him (training) he'll be dead. This is quite a way from the team and Colbrelli saying they're already planning his return and essentially nothing is wrong with him, but it sounds like he's having the main tests today.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

I would say arrythmias are quite common and in many cases undiagnosed and not very harmful for people leading normal life. Cyclists, however, often reach their cardiac limits so in some cases this might lead to a cardiac arrest (it has happened to footballers as well).

 

[Dalmadone]

I think lots of riders are going through Tizanidine withdrawl right now. Matthews sick. Simon yates way off the pace. https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/volta-a-catalunya/2022/stage-3 Lots of DNFs. They all got spooked by Colbrelli. Yes it's the first mountain stage so more DNFs expected but these DNFs are some big names. "Italian bronchitis" is rife at the moment. This also suggests to me that these guys might not be doing this on doctors orders. Surely a doctor would wean these guys off the stuff slowly. Interesting times. Could even be a bad batch of tizanidine they all got a hold of.

 

[Le breton]

i dn't know about the exact number, but here you have a study about it.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/imj.13377

Thanks Mayomaniac, you could have given that link together with your initial post .
It's interesting actually. I'll relay the info on a French forum I visit regularly.

 

[pastronef]

I think lots of riders are going through Tizanidine withdrawl right now. Matthews sick. Simon yates way off the pace. https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/volta-a-catalunya/2022/stage-3 Lots of DNFs. They all got spooked by Colbrelli. Yes it's the first mountain stage so more DNFs expected but these DNFs are some big names. "Italian bronchitis" is rife at the moment. This also suggests to me that these guys might not be doing this on doctors orders. Surely a doctor would wean these guys off the stuff slowly. Interesting times. Could even be a bad batch of tizanidine they all got a hold of.

Benotti is that you ?

 

[Dalmadone]

Benotti is that you ?

I'm flattered... I think. Who's Benotti? I just had to make an account after lurking because this is the most convinced I've been of doping.

I also want to add that Rafael Nadal has a "broken rib" or something, I don't follow tennis. This makes the bad batch theory more plausible. And also explains why these guys are going cold turkey and getting withdrawls.

 

[Dalmadone]

Just noticing more riders underperforming and DNFing. Australians Haig and Porte for example. Tennis player Ashleigh Barty also announcing "shock retirement". Tellingly she's also australian. This is very speculative now but from reading quotes and watching statements/interviews from Barty I'm guessing she's no longer willing to risk her health and has also reached a personal moral crossroads. Though it's an easy decision for her to retire because she's so accomplished.

 

[fmk_RoI]

Didn't post this at the time as was busy writing something but Tim Decercq's comment is worth bearing in mind:

"At first it was quite horrifying," he said. "'Oh dear, my heart', I thought. Then I dug a little deeper and realised that, all in all, it wasn't that bad. Pericarditis is not a 'real' heart condition – there was no fluid accumulation or scar tissue, my electrocardiogram was completely normal, and an MRI ruled out myocarditis. I don't have to fear any long-term consequences, but still you don't take your heart for granted.

"I tested positive [for COVID-19] slightly symptomatically – I didn't have a fever or anything like that. So, I thought 'it can't do any harm, there is no great danger'. But it turns out you have to be more alert with it than with a normal cold, because the virus likes to 'attach' itself.

"I hear I'm not the only one in the peloton, that there are several riders who are going through more or less the same thing. In my opinion, it's a pity that they don't come out and break the 'taboo' because in essence there is nothing serious going on."

Among the riders who have broken the taboo on this subject are Sarah Gigante who was out over the winter with myopericarditis, and Chloe Hosking who had a time out earlier in the year with pericarditis.

I know it may feel like the link between Covid and potential heart problems for athletes was overstated earlier, but it shouldn't be ignored. As stated in Sporza by the Belgian fed's doctor, Kris Van der Mieren , the risk of myocarditis or pericarditis is real:

“There is danger in both the short and long term. If there is inflammation there, you can get arrhythmias or even heart failure. In the long term, scar tissue can develop, which can lead to heart rhythm disorders or heart failure.”

NB: Just because there may be a link between Covid and myocarditis or pericarditis, it doesn't follow that all cases of these are caused by Covid. They were happening before the lurgi too.

 

[yaco]

Gigante caught COVID in February 2022 - Her case of myopericarditis was in August/September 2021 - It's always possible that her case could even be linked to her vaccination - In saying that I have no doubt there is a link between COVID and potential health issues.